BOCA GRANDE, Fla. — Seven miles of clear water and powdery sand — it’s what attracts people to Gasparilla Island, but it’s the community charm that keeps people coming back.
“It’s a family. Everyone knows each other, you’ll see and feel the vibe,” said Mimi Carvalho, head chef at South Beach Bar and Grille and now Mimi’s 3rd Street Grille.
“It was… still can’t believe it happened to us,” said Carvalho.
An anniversary, but not a happy one.
The day Hurricane Ian wiped away her home of the last 7 years.
“At first I thought he was joking. I said ‘yea,’ but it was bad — totally blown out… winds bad,” said Carvalho.
“I was in my driveway and fell to my knees,” said Marco Meola, the co-owner of South Beach.
He’s worked in the building for more than 20 years.
“All of your life’s work is gone in a moment,” said Meola.
Before the storm hit, he was preparing for minor damages. Maybe something to the awning, or having to get a mobile kitchen.
“We went there and looked at it and you couldn’t believe it,” said Carvalho.
One of the only beachfront restaurants on the island was destroyed in a matter of hours.
They say it’s as if a bomb went off inside.
For the owners, their employees who they say feel like family were their biggest concern. So they found them a temporary home in downtown Boca Grande on Third Street and named it Mimi’s.
“When we moved into Mimi’s we were able to employ over 90 percent of the people,” said Meola.
That’s just one story of destruction on the island.
Fire Chief C.W. Blosser said he remembers driving to the island after the storm like it was yesterday.
“When you got off of this you had all this water just like a pond in front of you,” said Blosser.
He said debris was scattered all over the island.
Many of the rental homes were destroyed and the biggest loss was the cell tower.
“We have been running off of portable cell towers since immediately after the storm,” he said.
Almost exactly one year after Ian hit, the island has a new cell tower.
The community is thrilled to finally have it up after dealing with spotty service all year.
“Still the 911 service is iffy out here on any day,” said Blosser.
It will be a few more weeks until the tower is working, but the community is thankful for the rebuilding so far.
Many of the popular season spots are coming back together and the foundation of South Beach Bar and Grille is up.
They hope the restaurant will officially be reopened in the spring.
“The sunsets every night, it’s a different show,” said Carvalho.
365 days later, they are holding on to hope.
Hope that things will be the same again, but brand new.
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